miller



' (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. M. ZELLERS & J. B. MILLER.

WASHER MAKING MACHINE.

No. 320,320. Patented June 16, 1885.

WITNESSES 7% 5 W,

MAHLON M. ZELLERS AND JAMES B. MILLER, OF KENT, OHIO; SAID ZELLERS ASSIGNOR TO SAID MILLER.

WASHER-MAKING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,320, dated June 16, 1885.

Application filed December 30, 1884.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MAnLoN M. ZELLERS and J AMES B. MILLER, of Kent, in the county of Portage and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVasher-Making Machines and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in washer-making machines, the object being to provide mechanism operating automatically, by means of which in a single operation wash ers are punched and severed from blank metal sheets and the edges crimped or bent to form a cup shape, and the washers around the central hole crimped or bent to form a countersink concaved in the opposite direction.

A further object is to provide, in addition to the ordinary stationary stripper through which the tools attached to the cross-head operate, a movable plate or stripper for the sta tionary dies and located on the opposite side of the blank and controlled by springs, and so arranged that it is pressed forward past the end of the stationary dies during the punching process, and by the recoil of its spring recedes with the cross-head and moves the blank from the stationary dies to make room for the discharge of the washers.

A further object is to provide feed mechanism for feeding the blank metal sheets to the work and withdrawing it as it is punched and coiling the refuse sheet in compact form con venient for handling and shipping.

With these objects in view our invention consistsin certain features of construction and in the combination of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

These machines are designed for punching small washers, about a quarterof an inch (more or less) in diameter, from thin sheets of zinc, said washers being used as parts of shoe-button fasteners.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of my improved washer-making machine. Fig. 2 is an end view, in elevation, of the same. Fig. 3 is a side view of the ma- (No model.)

chine in elevation. Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation, in longitudinal section, of the punching and crimping tools and dies and supporting parts of the machine, the parts approximating working size. Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged side elevations, partly in section, of a portion respectively of the larger punch and crimpingtool, showing the shape of each on the face. Fig. 7 is a view from the front side, in elevation, of the plates forming the blockD and the contiguous portions of the cross-head. Fig. 8 is a View in perspective of the movable plate or stripper H. Fig. 9 is a view in elevation of the stationary stripper.

A represents the bed-plate of the machine, mounted on suitable legs, a, and at the rear end of which is journaled in suitable boxes the shaft 13, that is provided with a drivingpulley, flywheel, clutch, &c., all of the ordinary construction, and therefore not shown. The shaft is provided between the journals with the eccentric b, that reciprocates the cross-head C, and outside the journals with the eccentric I), that actuates the food mechanism.

The cross head slides in the ways 0, secured to the bed-plate, and as it is essential that the cross head move with great accuracy, the ways and corresponding parts of the crosshead are preferably V-shaped, so that, as they are brought together, they not only tighten the cross-head'laterally, but also take up any vertical lost motion. (See Fig. 7.) The connecting-rod 0 should have some means for conveniently and accurately adjusting its length. A convenient means for accomplishing this is shown in Fig. 1. The central part of the connecting-rod is provided at the respective ends with a right and left handed thread at c, and screws into the outer parts, and with suitablejanrnuts, 0 for holding the joints rigid. Any other convenient device will answer the purpose.

To the front end of the cross-head is attached a block, D, consisting of a series of plates, 0, hereinafter described, in which are secured the holders E, round in cross-section, in the front ends of which are inserted the hollow punches e, that serve for cutting the washers from the sheet, and as dies for the smaller punches that make the hole in the center, and also form parts of the crimpingdies.

A Vertical opening, B, through the holder at the rear of the punch, is for the discharge of the chips, and by driving a key in the hole the punch 6 may be removed from the holder.

Near the front portion of the machine is a stationary block, F, secured to the bed-plate,

with a removable part, F, in which are rigidly secured the small punches G, that enter the holes in the centers of the tools 6 and punch the holes in the centers of the washers.

Stationary dies 9 are secured in the block F, and into which, respectively, the ends of the tools 6 enter, and sever the washers from the sheet. Within the die 9 and sliding on the shank of the punch G is a crimping-die, G, with a head, 9, of considerable size, that is supported endwise by the spiral spring The face of this crimping-die at g is concaved, and only comes in contact near-the outer part of the washer, and the face of the tool '0 is cut away correspondingly or left crowning at a near the outer edge. (See Figs. 5 and 6.) The face of-the tool e around the central hole is concaved slightly at 6", so that as the punch G presses the metal sheet against the tool 6 in punching the hole, the metal is slightly bent and forms a countersink around the hole, while the tool G is held with sufficient force by the'spring g to compress or crimp the washer around the crowning part c of the tool e. As this occurs, the advancing cross-head forces the end of the tool einto the stationary die 9, and severs the washer from the sheet, the tool G meantime receding and compressing the spring 9'. As the cross-head in turn recedes, the recoil of the spring forces the tool G endwise, and pushes the washer off from the punch G and out. of the die g, and it falls from the machine through an opening in the bed-plate. A stripper, H, preferably secured to the ends of the guides, and consisting of a stationary plate with holes through which the tools 6 protrude in punching, strips the sheet of metal from these tools as the cross-head recedes; but as there are several of these punches, portions of the punctnrcd'sheet would be likely to adhere to the stationary dies on the opposite side, and to preventthis and to press back the blank so that the washers may fall and be discharged from the machine through the said hole in the bedplate, we have the movable plate or stripper H, to which are secured guiding-rods it, that extend rearward through suitable guidingbloeks, h, secured on the guides, at the rear of which are the coiled springs h around the rods 71, that hold the movable stripper rearward. As the tools 0 carry the sheet forward to the stationary dies, the stripper H of course is carried along with it, and is provided with suit able holes, so that it fits over the stationary dies, and as the cross head recedes the tension of the springs h is sufficient to prcssthe sheet from the stationary dies.

The block D is preferably made of a series of plates, cl, bolted together, with strips of thin paper laid in the joints, and the holes for the holders E are bored in the joints. (See Fig. 7.) \Vhen the paper is removed and these plates are bolted together, they hold the holders very firmly, and at the same time, by loosening the bolts (1 that bind them together and secure them to the cross-head, any of the holders are readily removed. As these holders are of considerable size as compared with the size of the washer, they cannot of course be set over each other vertically, but are arranged obliquely along the face of the block D, so that the whole series punch the washers across the width of the blank sheets S. that are usually in strips of perhaps two inches (more or less) in width, requiring for such a strip about six punches, that extend perhaps eight or ten inches lengthwise of the block D.

The punches and dies G and g are arranged very accurately, to correspond wit-h the tools 0.

A part of the cross-head 0 against which the blocks D abut,has holes corresponding with the holders E, and are threaded and provided with. screw-bolts 0 that abut against the respective ends of the holders, and by means of which the holders and tools 0 are accurately adjusted lengthwise.

The block F, for convenience in assembling the parts, is made in two pieces, and the re movable part F is bolted to the stationary part, which is recessed in the central portion, so that when the two parts of the block are together at the ends a suitable space is hadv between them along the central portion. It is into this removable part F that the enlarged threaded ends of the punches G are screwed from the front side, and adjusted so that the rear ends or faces of the punches protrude slightly be yond the faces of the respective dies 9. This part F also forms an abutment for one end of the respective springs 9 the other end of which, as aforesaid, abuts against the enlarged head g of the crilnpingdies G. These heads 9', when the dies are pressed by the springs toward the cross-head, abut againstthe part F, and are of such length that they protrude slightly beyond the ends of the punches G- that is, toward the cross-head.

Now, as the tools 6 advance toward the sheet they first come in contact with the crimpingdies G, and instantly after with the punch G, so that the crimping and punching of the hole in the center of the washer are done almost simultaneously, and as these are accomplished the tools 0 press the metal into the dies 9 and sever the washers. As the cross-head and tools 0 recede, the springs g cause the dies G to follow in the direction of the receding crosshead as far as the heads 9 will permit, which is far enough to force the washer out of the die 9 and off the punch G, as aforesaid.

It will be observed in Fig. 5 that the crown ing part c of the tool 0 does not extend quite to the edge, but that the tool at the extreme periphery is left square and sharp for a cutting-edge in severingthe washer in the dies 9, as aforesaid. It will be seen, therefore, that the tool 6 serves as a die for the small punch G and as a punch for the large dieg, and forms a former over which the washer is crimped, both to form the cup shape and the countersink. The sheets of metal are first cut in strips S, of suitable width, (two or three inches,) according to the number of punches used, and are placed upon a bench (not shown) of suitable height, and held edgewise by a series of pins on either side. The ends of these strips are delivered by hand, one at a time, to the feed-rolls I and I, that are supported in the frame K, that is attached to the bed-plate.

The spindle 1, on which the roll I is mounted, extends up through the frame and has on top a ratchet-wheel, J, and a lever, J, pivoted on the end of the spindle and provided with the spring-dog and is connected by the rod 9" to the eccentric Z), and the parts are so arranged that as the cross-head recedes the rolls are actuated far enough to feed the blank strips into the machine the required distance. The roll 1 is journaled in the sliding block 1*, that is pressed forward toward the other roll by the spring '6.

The spindle f, below the bed-plate, is provided with a pulley, L, from which a belt passes to a similar pulley, L, on the opposite side of the machine, that is mounted on the spindle Z, that has the roller Z, engaging asimilar roller, Z and arranged like the other rollers just described. These latter rollers are fluted to prevent their slipping on the rough sheets that have been punctured. Both sets of rolls are intergearcd with pinions a, as shown, so that the pairs move together.

The spaces in the vicinity of the punchingtools and dies are somewhat exaggerated in Fig. l to show the parts more clearly in the drawings; but in Fig. l the working size or position of these tools is shown with approximate accuracy.

The tools secured in the parts F and F might be transferred to the cross-head, and the holder E, punch e, and blocks D mightbe secured to the part F or bed-plate, and although the machine would not be so conveir ient when so modified it could undoubtedly be made to operate successfully.

A small cylindrical block, M, provided with radial longitudinal slots in, is mounted on the spindle I that is pr vided with a pulley, j), from which a belt passes to the pulley L,pre f erably on the spindle t',.fron1 which power is transmitted to the block M. As the punched sheetS passes out of the rolls Z Z, the operator thrusts the end into one of the slolsm,aud the block revolves with the proper speed to coil the punctured sheet on the block. The

the block and removed to make room for the following strip, and the refuse sheets are thus coiled in convenient form for handling and shipping. The respective sizes of the pulleys are such that the block N and the rollers Z Z are driven fast enough to insure the punched part of the sheet being kept taut, and as little power is required for actuating these parts, the belts may be quite loose, so that they can slip more or less, if necessary.

\Vhat we claim is- 1. In a washcr'punching machine, in combination with a severing-die, erimper, and center punch arranged concentrically with each other, an opposing combinationtool arranged to operate as a punch for the severing die, as a die for the center punch, and as a former for the crimping-die, substantially as set forth.

2. In a washer-punching machine, in combination with opposing punches and dies for severing the washers from the blank and punching the center holes in the washers, and a former of suitable shape, a crimping-die arranged to rcccde during the punching and severing of the washer and to advance and discharge the finished washer, substantially as 4. In a washer-punchin g machine, in combination with the crimper G, provided with the head 9, and a spring, g, for advancing the crimper toward the blank, the part F, arianged to operate as a stop to limit the advancement of the crimper, substantially as set forth.

5. In a washer-punching machinc,a. movable stripper or plate yieldingly held by springs arranged to press the blank from the statioir ary tools as the reciprocating tools recede,substantially as set forth.

6. In a washer-punching machine, in combination with a stationary stripper for the reciprocating tools, a movable stripper or plate on the opposite side of the blank arranged to press the blank from the stationary tool when the reciprocating tools reecde, substantially as set forth.

7. In a washer-punehing machine, in combination with the toolholders E, the block or clamp D,consisting of the plates (1, bolted together and having holes at the joints for clamping the respective holders, substantially as set forth.

8. In a washer-p11nching machine, in comcoiled sheet may he slipped up over thetop of l bination with a reciprocating eross-head,with

IIO

form an end support and means of adjusting the attached block D, and the tool-holders E,

the screw-bolts G arranged, respectively, to

tion in the presence of two witnesses. abut against the ends of the said holders and MAHLON M. ZELLEBS. JAMES B. MILLER.

\Vitnesses to Mahlon M. Zellers:

JOSIAH T. CRAWLEY, FRANK M. SHERIDAN. Witnesses to James B. MILLER:

ALBERT E. LYNCH, GEO. W. KING.

the holders, vsubstantially as set forth.

9. In a washer-making machine, the combination, with dies and punches of feed-rolls arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the maohine, the cylindrical block having oblong slots therein, and devices, substantially as deseribed,for operating the feed-rolls and block.

In testimony whereof we sign this specifica- 

